Emmalie
by Aunt Bran
Summary: I just love Emmalie, and I know some of you enjoyed reading about her, so I decided to go back and visit her childhood.  Let me know if you have suggestions about who you'd like to see in her story.
1. Chapter 1

Emmalie Hale Cullen always had a unique perspective on life. She was adopted as a tiny baby. Her adoptive parents cherished her and one another, and she grew up with a large extended family in a beautiful home in the mountains of Washington State.

Emmalie was named for her father, Emmett, and her mother, Rosalie. They tried to protect and nurture her to the best of their considerable abilities, and they _never_ used the V word in her presence. That word, of course, is vampire. Emmalie's parents would tell her that they were vampires, in due time. But they planned to raise her in as normal an environment as they could manage until then.

One of the first purchases the new parents made, after a crib and nursery furniture, was a bed for themselves. Other kids' parents slept in beds, after all. To their surprise and delight, they found that they enjoyed cuddling in their super sized, sturdily built, comfy bed. When Emmalie came looking for them in the night, she would usually find them, cuddled up together like kittens, and they would soothe her until she fell asleep. With their super hearing, she would never actually surprise them, but she didn't know that. Then one of them (usually Daddy) would gently carry her back to her little bed, where she would spend the night in safety and comfort. As a matter of fact, few children in the world slept in safer quarters, guarded by a houseful of v… um, vegetarians.

Emmalie was a bright, happy baby. It's amazing how quickly children learn to adapt to their environment. She swiftly learned that running into anyone's leg was like running into a fire hydrant, so after a few bumps and bruises she stopped doing that. She learned to wait for her parent (or other relative) to gently pick her up, and that worked very well, since she had them all wrapped around her little finger from the beginning. She never had to wait long. Even Uncle Jasper, who tried to be aloof, was eventually charmed.

At the first sign of a cough or a fever, Grandpa Carlisle would be consulted. Emmalie loved his home office and had her own doctor kit in his office to play with. She enjoyed spending time with him, and the young shape shifters from the Quileute reservation were accustomed to seeing her speeding around in her walker when they came to be treated by Dr. Cullen. Any other doctor in town would be out of the question for their particular needs, but Carlisle had a unique understanding of their wolf peculiarities.

The Cullens had declared June 1 to be Emmalie's birthday, and her first birthday party was a huge success. Uncle Jake and Aunt Bella, hugely pregnant with Emmalie's future best friend, were there, as well as an eclectic mixture of werewolves, vampires, and even a few humans. Almost everyone brought her a book, knowing how she loved to be read to. It was difficult to know who loved it more – Emmalie or her family. She especially liked Dr. Seuss books, and her favorite reader was Uncle Jasper, who could be as silly as was necessary. Their giggling could often be heard from the den as the other family members smiled, shook their heads, and then carried on with their daily business.

Alice never tired of shopping for her little niece. Emmalie was the best dressed baby in Forks. For her birthday, Alice had her attired in pink from head to toe. She looked like a princess, which was appropriate, since that's how everyone treated her. But she was not spoiled. She was sweet and kind and seemed to have inherited her grandfather's caring nature (though they were, of course, not actually related).

Uncle Jake good-naturedly provided wolf rides for the children at the party, and that was the most fun of all. Aunt Bella had to rescue him from the bushes when he phased back to human form for the picnic and found himself without any clothes. She always kept spares in the car, and the vampires had a good laugh at his expense. He would, of course, get even.

The birthday cake was a marvel to behold. Grandma Esme had baked and decorated it, and it was a huge castle-shaped confection, complete with ice cream cone turrets and candy windows. After all the pictures were taken and the adults and Emmalie had their servings, the wolf boys and girls were turned loose on the cake to Emmalie's delight. She laughed and clapped as they devoured the whole thing.

That night, after Emmett and Rosalie had bathed Emmalie and put on her new pajamas, a gift from Leah, they tucked her in with her favorite stuffed animal, a dog named Jakey. They stood in her doorway, contentedly watching her sleep. Rosalie sighed and smiled at Emmett, then took his hand and kissed him sweetly before they walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Much later that night, but before sunrise, Jacob woke to a persistent tapping on his shoulder. "Jake, it's time," Bella smiled at him. Disoriented, he asked "Time for what? OH!" He jumped up and hurriedly got dressed, and then he gently helped Bella into the car. She winced, as a pain momentarily took her breath away, then said "I called Carlisle and he'll meet us at the hospital."

Three hours later, Bella gave birth to William Charles Black. Jacob was overwhelmed. He had witnessed some pretty amazing things in his life, but his son just blew him away. As he held Bella cradled in his arms, he whispered "I thought I couldn't love you more." And the first time Carlisle placed the tiny baby in his arms, he was smitten.

When Emmett and Rosalie came by the hospital to visit, Emmett joked that he was a little late to be Emmalie's birthday present but would probably be her favorite toy. Jacob, wide awake by now, couldn't help responding, "I'm just relieved he isn't blonde!"

"Not much chance of that," Emmett laughed. Rosalie was not amused, which is probably why Jacob loved to tease her. "One of these days," Emmett snickered, "I'm not going to be around to save your sorry butt and Rosalie is going to bite you."

"Perish the thought! I have better taste than that," Rosalie sniffed, then turned on her heel to go back to Bella's room.

On the cover of Emmalie's photo album is her favorite picture ever. It's a candid shot, snapped by Alice on Emmalie's fifth birthday, of Rosalie and Emmett, deep in conversation, each frosting a chocolate cupcake with pink icing. Neither one is looking at the camera; they seem unaware that they are being photographed. If they were your parents, or my parents, it would not be so striking. But knowing that they are both vampires, and seeing the tiny cupcake in Emmett's big paw, always brings a smile (or sometimes a tear, if she's away from home and missing them). That simple photo says so much about their relationship, and she treasures it.

By the time Emmalie was five years old, she was starting school. Her teacher. Mrs. Peters, was greeting the parents of her kindergarten students at Back to School Night. Emmett and Rosalie had decided to send Emmalie to public school, and Jasper had provided a virtually authentic birth certificate. Her grandfather had seen to it that her health records were up to date, and she was enjoying school. It was a difficult transition for her parents, but Emmalie was adjusting much better than they were. Mrs. Peters spoke to Rosalie, "Mrs. Cullen, I'm amazed that Emmalie is already beginning to read. Does she get a lot of attention at home?" Rosalie explained that Emmalie was the only child in a house with several adults, all of whom were very well educated. She did not specify that most of them had graduated from high school several times, but she offered, "Emmalie has always loved books, and she has seven adults who love to read to her." Mrs. Peters confirmed that Emmalie was adjusting beautifully to school, and Emmett beamed.

Emmalie's best friend, Will, was only four, and he wanted desperately to go to school too. He would be going to school on the reservation, but not until next year. Their play dates, at first, had always been at the Blacks' house. It took some bravery on the part of Jacob and Bella to leave Will in the house full of vampires, and it still did not happen often. The Cullens were used to having a human child around by this time, and Will was in no danger from them. As Emmalie learned her colors, numbers, and letters, she became Will's teacher and passed her knowledge on to him. She pretended to read her books to him, since she had memorized a few of her favorites.

One day Emmalie came home in tears. She had drawn a picture at school, and it was a typical five year old's rendition of a house, a yellow sun in the sky, and a family standing in front. This family included a mommy, a daddy, a little girl, and a large animal that Mrs. Peters assumed was the family dog. Emmalie had tried to explain that it was a "good wolf," and Mrs. Peters had taken exception to the concept. She tried to explain to Emmalie that wolves are wild animals and children should not go near them. Emmalie became completely hysterical, and Mrs. Peters had to call for someone to come to school and pick her up. Rosalie managed to calm her down, and the next year the children had _pony_ rides at her birthday party.

Emmalie's dream of becoming a doctor began very early in her life. She "treated" all her dolls, stuffed animals, and of course Will, wrapping them in gauze and dosing them with imaginary pills and tonics. When Emmett showed up at the dinner table with his arm wrapped in Ace bandages and propped in a sling everyone had a good laugh, though each of them would get a turn sooner or later.

Will and Emmalie were inseparable. If Emmett and Rosalie took Emmalie to the zoo, they had to take Will too. If Jacob and Bella took Will on an outing, it was no fun if Emmalie wasn't invited to come along. Their friendship would last all their lives, even when Will eventually had two sisters of his own. Rosalie and Emmett knew Emmalie would never have a sibling, but they were grateful for their only child.


	3. Chapter 3

When Will was six years old, he got a rather unwelcome surprise. His parents were thrilled to be expecting another child, and Izzy was born that summer. He promptly told his parents to send her back because "Emmy" was the only sister he wanted.

To add insult to injury, Jake and Bella left him with the Cullens while they went to the hospital for the baby's birth. He just loved to visit there, and Emmy had so many great toys. When his parents came home with Izzy, they picked him up and made him go home with them. It should be noted here that Will would not get another opportunity for a sleepover with Emmalie for 14 years, one month, and three days, but that's a story for another day.

Bella and Jacob were content and still very much in love. Jacob's garage brought in enough income so that Bella could stay home with the children, and she was happy to do that. Their lives were complete, so it was a total surprise when Bella found herself pregnant again two years later. She was a little nervous, not knowing for sure how Jacob would feel about another mouth to feed. He knew something was up when Bella prepared a candlelit dinner for two after the children were in bed, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was. It was obviously a romantic occasion, and he was absolutely sure he hadn't missed their anniversary. A man could only do that once, he thought wryly. "Okay, I'm obviously missing something," he smiled when he had polished off his favorite dinner, followed by a generous slice of Bella's apple pie, and they were cuddled on the couch with their coffee mugs. "You don't have a boyfriend, do you?" he asked in mock horror.

Bella smiled up at him and said "I don't know yet if it's a boyfriend or a girlfriend, but there's definitely someone new in my life." There was no mistaking that smile; Jake was overjoyed. She should have known he would be. He asked quietly, "Do you remember, all those years ago, when I told you it would be easy as breathing? I guess I exaggerated a little." She sighed and murmured, "I can't breathe without you, Jake, and I wouldn't want to," and kissed him softly.

When they shared their news with the Cullens, Emmett took it with his usual wicked grin and mumbled something about "rabbits" that Jake didn't quite catch. Bella caught it and playfully punched his arm, bruising her knuckles but failing to make a dent in the smug vampire's substantial arm. Of course Emmett found that hilarious.

This was Bella's most difficult pregnancy, and Rosalie helped out where she could. She often took the children for a few hours so Bella could nap. Even Charlie would come over on nice days and take the kids for a walk, Izzy in the stroller and Will tagging along. Bella secretly thought it was just an excuse for Charlie to stop by and visit Sue Clearwater, but she appreciated the respite. Sue and Charlie had been friends for years, and Sue's late husband had been Charlie's best friend. It was a comfortable friendship, and Bella sometimes wondered if it would ever be anything more. Charlie didn't think Bella needed to know everything.

Laura was born in September, and after a difficult delivery Carlisle told Bella gently that she couldn't have any more children. She and Jacob grieved quietly, but they were thankful that they had three beautiful, healthy children. Renee came up from Florida for a week to help with the new baby, and it gave Bella a chance to rest and recuperate. Renee was in her glory, spending time with her three grandchildren.

Meanwhile, Emmalie had turned seven. She was in second grade and reading everything she could get her hands on. She and Will played school endlessly. When Will was not around, Emmalie enlisted her aunts and uncles as students in her pretend classroom. She was fascinated by the baby girls and loved to visit Bella and help with them. When Bella and Jacob took their children to the beach at LaPush, they took Emmalie along, since her parents were obviously not beach people. The children loved to play in the sand and wade in the water, under the watchful eyes of Will's parents. Emmalie was truly a paleface and had to be protected from the summer sun, but the Black children all had beautiful tan complexions like their dad.

Speaking of dads, Charlie woke up early this Saturday morning, feeling all was right in his world. He had the whole weekend ahead of him, without work for a change. Unless some emergency came up, his deputy would handle the office. He smiled and stretched, then rolled over and kissed Sue Clearwater on the forehead. "Good morning, princess," he murmured. "I've been thinking. Maybe it's time we put our kids out of their misery. They're all worried about us growing old all alone." Sue nodded in agreement, "But let's let them worry for a couple more hours. It's such a nice, cool morning for cuddling."

As Charlie reached out and pulled her close, he brought up his marriage proposal again. "You know, I'd love to make an honest woman of you, Sue. Marry me. Please."

"I will, Charlie, when the time is right. But let me have my fun, sneaking around with you, for a while longer. It's enough, for now, that I love you." He couldn't argue with that kind of reasoning.


	4. Chapter 4

"Why don't we have a Christmas tree, Mom? My friend Brittany has one, and it's so pretty," observed Emmalie. "I helped them decorate it last week when I was at their house."

"I don't know, Em, no special reason I guess," Rosalie replied. "Is it important to you?" "No big deal," Emmalie shrugged, and that was the end of the discussion.

Later that week, Emmett and Rosalie went into the forest and brought back a huge Douglas Fir. It was worth the trouble just to see the look on Emmalie's face when they set it up in the family room. Even without decorations, it was impressive. Alice saw it as an excuse for a shopping trip, and she and Emmalie traveled all over the countryside, looking for interesting lights and ornaments. The finished project was a work of art. With all the other lights out, the majestic tree shimmered in all the huge windows. Emmalie couldn't take her eyes off the tree, and it even smelled wonderful. The paper ornaments she'd made at school were up there, along with the expensive boutique ornaments she and Alice had found.

Esme and Emmalie baked dozens of cookies together. They baked chocolate chip, Spritz, butter cookies, peanut butter kisses, and oatmeal cookies. Emmalie knew by now that her family wouldn't eat them, but the Blacks were coming for Christmas Eve with Will and the two little girls. It was a magical Christmas, and one that the children would always remember. There was snow, of course, and gifts were exchanged, and there was peace on earth (or at least in their little corner of the world). Alice tried to get Edward to dress up as Santa, but he flatly refused. He would only go so far in the spirit of the season. He did provide classical holiday music to add to the pervasive feeling of peace and good will.

Winter was Emmalie's favorite season. She and Will got sleds for Christmas, and they never tired of sliding down the hills in the Cullens' yard. The vampires were always quick enough to see that they never hit a tree, and they never got tired of hauling the children back up the hill. Then there was hot chocolate and cookies in the Cullens' big kitchen. It was a magical time to be a child, and it seemed there was always snow on the ground that year.

Will sneaked another peek out the window a few weeks later. It had been snowing for hours, and the forest looked like a winter wonderland. His thoughts kept creeping back to the fun he and Emmalie had with their new sleds in the Cullens' yard. "Mom, can't we _pleeease_ go to Emmalie's this afternoon?" he whined. Bella was trying to be patient, but the combination of a sick baby and a whiny nine-year-old was beginning to wear on her.

"Will, I'm not going to say it again. Laura is too sick to go outside in this weather, so you're going to have to find something to do in the house," Bella called from the baby's room upstairs. "Maybe tomorrow, if Laura's fever is gone. Now try to find something quiet to do, so you don't wake Izzy."

That was the last straw. What did his mom think he was, a baby? He knew the way to Emmalie's house, and when he got there Mrs. Cullen could call his mom and tell her he was fine. He'd never asked for the baby sisters anyway, and they were a big pain. His life had been a lot less complicated before they came along. Will pulled on his boots and bundled up in his coat, scarf, hat, and mittens. Then he quietly opened the back door and slipped out, closing it gently behind him.

The first thing Will noticed as he walked down the driveway was the quiet. Yes, he tried to reassure that nagging voice in his head, this was one of his better ideas. It couldn't be more than a mile or so to Emmalie's, and he'd been there hundreds of times. Of course, he was usually in his dad's car, but the forest looked pure and innocent in its blanket of snow. He caught a snowflake on his tongue and smiled in delight as he walked, staying on the wooded side of the road to avoid any of his parents' friends who might come along. He needn't have worried, since no one was out driving on the reservation in the storm.

Twenty minutes later, when Bella had finally quieted the fretting baby, she went back downstairs to check on Will. "How would you like to help me make some cookies, W…" the sentence trailed off abruptly when she realized she was speaking to an empty room. Frantic, she searched through the house, finally noticing that his coat was missing from its hook by the back door. The small footprints heading out to the street were almost invisible by now, filling in with the blowing snow. There was no sign of the little boy's figure in his bright red coat. She hurried to the phone, panic-stricken, and called Jacob.

Bella walked a fine line in any crisis. Her father was the chief of police, and there were circumstances when she would call on him for his professional expertise. But he was oblivious to the mystical characters in her life, both vampires and werewolves, so sometimes it was their specific assistance she called upon. In this case, the wolves seemed to suit her particular need for finding a lost child – and quickly.

Jacob quickly passed the message on to Embry, who phased into wolf form and sprang into action. Jake started his truck and impatiently cleaned the snow off the windows, anxious to be on the move. Sam connected with Embry's thoughts and hurried back in the direction of the reservation from his distant patrol.

Will was almost sure he'd passed this same corner before. He was becoming disoriented in the whiteness, and he was quickly losing his bravado. He fought back the urge to cry and plodded on, though he was no longer sure he was going in the right direction. Suddenly, the absolute quiet was broken by the snap of a twig, and Will looked hopefully in the direction of the sound. He was ready to be rescued by any adult who came along, and he'd take his punishment like a man.

It was not a neighbor, however, who had broken the stillness. It was a huge cat, watching him from a menacing crouch only yards away, and now he could hear the low growl from deep in the mountain lion's chest. With his acute hearing, Sam heard it too, and he urged his muscled wolf body to full speed, hoping to close the distance before the cat could get to Will.

In a blur of teeth and fur and claws, the huge wolf collided in midair with the mountain lion, just a few feet from the terrified boy, just as Jacob's truck pulled up next to Will. As Will was hauled unceremoniously into the cab, he stared at his father's frightening visage. Will had never seen Jacob so furious before. Jake used his cell phone to let Bella know that Will was safe, and she was waiting by the door when they got to the house. Jake still had not uttered a word, and he closed the passenger door and headed back to his garage to check on Sam and Embry. They were both there, and Sam had a few scratches that were already healing. Jake thanked them with the quiet assurance that any member of the pack would have done the same.

Will spent the endless afternoon in his room, with no entertainment, dreading his father's return from work. His mom had little to say except that he wouldn't be leaving the house, except for school, for two weeks. When Jacob finally returned that evening, the sight of Will's tear-stained face almost melted his heart. He sat down on Will's bed and sternly explained how very irresponsible and dangerous his actions had been. Then he drew the scared little boy into his trembling arms and hugged him close.


	5. Chapter 5

Summer vacation! Emmalie would be turning 13 this year – a teenager at last! Throughout the school year, one after another, the seventh graders had each celebrated this life-altering milestone. Brittany was one of the first, with a January birthday, and she had celebrated in style. She and Emmalie had been best friends since first grade, and her party was held at a local restaurant. Of course, Alice would not be outdone, and Emmalie's party was in the planning stage by early spring.

Meanwhile, at the reservation's elementary school, Will was finishing sixth grade. He had a small circle of friends, but he was not as gregarious as Emmalie, and she was still his best friend. He was less than excited about the coming party, but he would have been devastated if he wasn't invited. Emmalie's friends all treated him like a little brother, and he was nobody's little brother.

"I can't believe we're having separate parties this year," Emmalie confided to Will. "We've always celebrated our birthdays together, except for my first one when you weren't born yet," she teased.

"My mom said it wasn't fair to make you share your special party," Will explained again, "but at least we'll be together for both days. Just as long as I don't have to dance with any girls!"

Emmalie laughed. "One of these days you'll be wanting to dance with girls," she predicted. He shot her a look that begged to differ. Bella and Jacob were fighting the urge to snicker, having observed the exchange from across the room. There was very little privacy in the Cullens' home, between the mind reading and the super-acute hearing. Bella whispered to Jacob, "Do you remember when you thought girls had cooties?"

He took her hand and brought it briefly to his lips. "All the girls but you," he murmured with a smile. That bright smile still produced a delicious sensation in the pit of her stomach, even after all these years. Emmett and Rosalie exchanged a knowing glance before the adults returned to their card game.

"Your house looks like a fairyland," Brittany whispered, enchanted. She was the first guest to arrive. Alice and Jasper had strung thousands of tiny white lights around the house and yard. "And your mom is gorgeous!" Rosalie was attired in jeans and a soft blue cashmere sweater, trying to stay out of the spotlight, but her striking beauty refused to be camouflaged. "My parents have a little trouble blending into the woodwork, no matter how hard they try," Emmalie chuckled. Right on cue, Emmett entered the room and it seemed to shrink around him. Even with the big smile aimed at his daughter, Emmett was completely unaware of how intimidating he was.

Bella and Esme were putting the finishing touches on the sumptuous buffet table when Jacob arrived with Will. "I dropped the girls off at Charlie's, and Sue's there to help" he reported to Bella. At four and six, Laura and Izzy were quite a handful, so Bella was relieved that Charlie had some assistance. The girls had forgotten all about their pique at being excluded from the party when they found out they were going to Grandpa's. "I wouldn't be surprised if my dad stopped over, too," Jake added, smiling. "That combination of his granddaughters and his best friend is just about irresistible."

Alice was refilling the punch bowl when she suddenly froze. Jacob, alert to her peculiar talent, whispered "What's wrong?"

"Company," Alice muttered, frowning. "Human?" asked Jacob. "No," she answered, sotto voce so no one else in the room could hear. "I'll be right back," she chirped aloud, "we need more ice." As Alice slipped out the back door, Jacob hastily increased the volume on the stereo, then sneaked out through the garage, leaving his clothes on the floor and phasing into wolf form before bounding out the door.

"May I help you?" Alice asked the gaunt figure, obviously an unfamiliar vampire, crouching between the garden and the encroaching forest. Her tone was deceptively chipper. The vampire straightened to his full height, well over six feet, and Alice craned her neck to look up at his face. He was handsome and well dressed, with black hair and ruby eyes, and his reply was a snarl. Alice sensed that she was no longer alone, as Emmett suddenly appeared on her right just as an impossibly large reddish brown wolf materialized on her left.

The vampire appeared to be ancient, but he immediately realized he was outnumbered and changed tactics in mid-growl. "Please forgive the intrusion. Is this your home? I was led to believe that a coven of vampires lived in this area, and I was drawn here by the succulent aroma." Responding to this large mistake was a very large vampire.

"These humans are members of our extended family," Emmett explained in a deep, menacing voice. We live in peace with this community and we don't drink human blood. My friends here will be happy to escort you to a more appropriate hunting ground." With that, several more of the huge wolves appeared out of the mist. That was when the nomad vampire made his second, and final, mistake.

With incredible speed and stupidity, he reached out to the nearest wolf (who happened to be Embry), grabbed him by a front leg, and tossed him over the garage. An audible crack broke the silence as his leg splintered, followed by a howl of pain. The rest of the wolves and the vampires were instantly on the intruder like hornets, and it was all over in a matter of minutes.

Jacob ran through the garage, phasing back to human form and throwing on his clothes, as he hurried to Embry's side in the driveway. Embry was in human form, unconscious, with his left arm extended at an impossible angle. Jacob knew he only had a short window of time to pull the arm back into the proper position before it would start to heal, and he was thankful that Embry was unconscious. He gritted his teeth, immobilized Embry's elbow with his foot, and yanked the arm suddenly, popping it into the proper alignment. Embry's eyes flew open as he screamed, then mercifully passed out again. Jacob lifted him into his car, covered him with a blanket from the trunk, and sped off toward Embry's house.

An hour later, Jacob returned to the Cullens' house and reported quietly to Alice that Embry would be fine in a day or two.

The next day was Will's birthday, and Emmalie and some of his friends were gathered on the beach in front of a campfire. Jacob, who was the unofficial tribal story-teller, was just about to start a story when Embry came limping toward the fire, his arm in a sling. "Uncle Embry, what happened to you?" Will asked, eyes wide. Embry muttered "Grizzly," and the boys were instantly mesmerized. No one was looking at Jake to see him roll his eyes.

"He was a mean one," Embry continued, wincing theatrically as he approached the circle. "Big as your dad. In fact, he looked a little like Jacob, now that I think about it, with all those big white teeth!" The boys were spellbound. "Knocked me to the ground, stood on my arm, and tried to pull it off!" There was a collective gasp. Will asked, "How did you get away?"

Embry was warming to the tale. "Well, I took my good arm and punched him square in the nose, and he went running off into the bushes. Then I dragged myself to my feet and ran home, with my arm dangling by a thread."

Emmalie was sitting next to Jacob and whispered, "At least we know what really happened, Uncle Jake. My dad told me the whole story, how Emmett really saved the day!" Bella and Emmalie burst into laughter at the look on Jacob's face, and then he joined in.


	6. Chapter 6

It had to happen sooner or later, but Emmalie was a little nervous about sharing her news with Will. She had a boyfriend at school, and Will would probably not be thrilled. Come to think of it, the thought of telling Will paled in comparison to sharing the news with Rosalie and Emmett.

Emmalie was 14 that summer, and Ben was 15. She would be starting high school in September and he would be a sophomore. He had high hopes at the beginning of the summer, and boyish dreams that Emmalie's supple body would be his by the end of school vacation. He wasn't quite sure what he was planning to do with it, but his raging hormones assured him that he'd figure it out when the time came. That hope withered when he met her parents.

Ben was invited to the Cullens' for a swim in their beautiful indoor pool. It was on the lower level of the house, just off the dining room. Emmalie had a demure one-piece bathing suit that fit her curves nicely, and Ben was admiring it through her sheer cover-up when Emmalie's parents entered the room.

Emmett's smile was forced, as he gripped Ben's hand and murmured "Nice to meet you." He wasn't fooling anyone, especially Ben. Even Mrs. Cullen, gorgeous as she was, looked capable of devouring him on the spot. But Mr. Cullen was truly terrifying, with his muscular arms, his iron grip, and his unconvincing smile.

"Dad, you can let go of his hand," Emmalie reminded him, obviously embarrassed.

The kids had a great time, swimming and splashing around, and Emmalie's parents tactfully left them alone. Both teens were aware, however, that they were not far away.

Later that night, when they were alone, Rosalie tried to broach the subject with Emmett. "I know you're trying, Em, but you can be a little intimidating in spite of yourself," she suggested gently.

Emmett was appalled. "How could anyone be afraid of this face?" he asked her with genuine curiosity. Then his eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked mischievously, "How would you like to see something truly frightening?"

Wide-eyed and horror-stricken, she nodded her head and then cautiously peeked under the covers, recoiling in mock terror. "Oh, my, Mr. Cullen, that is absolutely terrifying! But what do you intend to do with it?"

When he whispered his intentions in her ear, she pretended to faint, then immediately started to giggle.

The next hurdle was crossed when a group from school went to the beach at LaPush for a volleyball game on a Sunday afternoon. There was a group of kids already there from the reservation, and the teenagers soon joined forces for a game. Of course Will was there, and he came running over to greet Emmalie. He was chagrined to find Ben standing beside her.

Emmalie introduced them, and they shook hands tentatively. It was obvious to Ben that the younger, smaller boy was a little possessive, so he proceeded to flaunt his new relationship with Emmalie. At the first opportunity, he separated her from the group and they went to sit on a dune and watch the rest of the game. He slipped a possessive arm around her and, encountering no resistance, soon turned her face to his and kissed her. It was a chaste, clumsy, first kiss, but it had its desired effect on Will. He stomped off, furious.

Emmalie called Will when she got home, but Bella said he wouldn't come to the phone. "Did something happen at the beach today, Emmalie?" Bella asked, concerned. Emmalie explained about the boyfriend and the volleyball game, and Bella thanked her for her candor. She told Emmalie she'd have a talk with Will and hopefully he'd return her call later.

Sure enough, the phone rang an hour later and Emmalie answered. "Hey, Emmy," Will began glumly. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. My mom read me the riot act."

"Oh, Will, there's no need to apologize. You'll always be my best friend," Emmalie assured him. "I'm sorry if I got you in trouble. I know you're just being protective." Actually, she knew it was a little more than that, but she was generously giving him an excuse for his behavior.

Ben and Emmalie continued to see each other through that summer, almost always as part of a larger crowd. They went to movies, swam, and hiked, but Ben always felt the specter of her family hanging over them. Even her aunts and uncles seemed somehow threatening, and Ben just couldn't shake the feeling that they were watching every move he made. He broke up with Emmalie at the end of the summer. He genuinely liked her, but he decided dating her just wasn't worth the risk, real or imagined, of torture and/or death. And, as always, Will was there with a ready shoulder for her to cry on.

Emmalie truly loved her adoptive family, but every once in a while she wondered what it would be like to have human parents like Will's. Granted, his father was a werewolf, but otherwise they were perfectly, boringly, normal.


End file.
